1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a glass guide, and more particularly, to a glass guide mounted in a door panel to guide a vertical movement of a window glass.
2. Description of the Related Art
With reference to FIGS. 12, 13, 14(a), 14(b), and 14(c), a door panel of a vehicle includes a guide mechanism 101 for guiding the vertical movement of a door window glass. The guide mechanism 101 is divided into a glass run 102 and a glass guide 103. The glass run 102 is attached along a periphery of an inner side of a door frame 104 of the door panel. The glass guide 103 is also mounted extending along the glass run 102 in the door panel.
The glass run 102, which is made of rubber, has a main body and sealing and guiding lips. The lips guide the front and rear sides of the window glass at the peripheral portion of the window glass and seal the upper end portion of the window glass by the upper portion of the glass run 102. Further, the main body of the glass run 102 is attached in the door frame 104, which is made of metal and has a generally U-like cross-section.
The glass guide 103 includes a metal frame 104A, which has a generally U-like cross-section and is mounted in the door panel, and another rubber glass run 105, which is attached in the metal frame 104A. A main body of the glass run 105 has a generally U-like cross-section that corresponds with the shape of the bottom wall of the metal frame 104A. The glass run 105 has a bottom wall 108 and two side walls 106. A seal lip 107 extends from the distal end of each side wall 106 toward the bottom wall 108 of the main body of the glass run 105. The seal lips 107 deform elastically and pressure contact with the inner and outer surfaces of the peripheral portion of the window glass to guide the vertical movement of the window glass.
In the guide mechanism 101 of the related art, the glass guide 103 may not mount along vertical plane V in FIG. 15, which extends vertically from the lower end of the glass run 102. Further, a door lock device 109 may be located directly beneath the lower end of the glass run 102 in the door panel. In this case, water in the space between the window glass and the bottom wall 108 of the glass run 102 or water in the space between the glass run 102 and the door frame 104 may fall on the door lock device 109.
To solve this problem, a guide mechanism provided with a connector that connects the lower end of the glass run 102 to the upper end of the glass guide 103 has been proposed. However, in this case, the additional connector is need and would increase the weight of the guide mechanism. Further, when connecting the lower end of the glass run 102 to the upper end of the glass guide 103, the connector would have to be positioned in the door panel where the field of view is narrow. Accordingly, it would be very difficult to assemble the guide mechanism.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a glass guide mechanism that facilitates assembly, provides a light weight glass guide, and prevents water from falling on a door lock device.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a glass guide for guiding vertical movement of a window glass. The glass guide is mounted in a door panel of a vehicle at a location separated from a glass run that is attached to a door frame of the door panel. The glass guide includes a guide portion for guiding the window glass. A cover is arranged on an upper end of the guide portion. The cover includes an inclined surface. The inclined surface is inclined with respect to and intersects an imaginary vertical plane that is located at a lower end of the glass run.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.